Subject adaptation · Years 7–8 · Mathematics and Statistics · Field-Based STEM · Tony Jones
A statistic stated with confidence is not the same as a statistic with a known source. Provenance is a maths literacy skill, not an afterthought to the calculation.
Phase 1
Claim Stated
Phase 2
Source Recorded
Phase 3
Verification Need Named
Phase 4
Submitted With Claim
The Strategy
For any statistical claim used in a task, students record exactly what is being asserted in one sentence.
Students record where the figure or dataset came from, including whether it was provided by the teacher, found independently, or generated by a tool.
Students name one thing they would need to check or confirm before treating the claim as reliable.
This three-part record travels with the claim wherever it is used, in working, in a poster, or in a written conclusion.
The provenance record is assessed as part of the task, recognising that knowing where a number comes from is itself mathematical reasoning.
In Practice
Statistical Investigation
A student citing a national average records the figure, names the dataset it came from, and notes that the sample year would need checking before comparison.
Probability and Data Display
A student using a probability figure sourced from an AI summary records the claim, names the tool as the source, and notes that the original dataset has not been verified.
Measurement and Estimation
A student using a quoted conversion or benchmark figure records where it came from and notes whether it needs confirming against a class-approved reference.
Implementation Notes
Decision Checkpoint
Record provenance at the point the figure is first used, not retrofitted once the calculation is finished. The record should track the number's journey into the work.
Teacher Judgement Note
An unverified source is not automatically wrong. The point is that the student has named the uncertainty rather than treated the figure as settled fact.
